History of Fallston Borough, Beaver County,
Pa.From: History of Beaver County Pennsylvania
and its Centennial Celebration
BY: Rev. Joseph H. Bausman, A. M.
Knickerbocker Press New York, 1904

FALLSTON BOROUGH

FALLSTON is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Beaver, just below "the Falls" from which
it took its name. It is immediately opposite New Brighton and about a mile below Beaver Falls, with which it was
formerly connected by a road running through the " Narrows, "or the contracted space between the hills
and the Beaver. This road was vacated at the time the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railway was built. Down these "Narrows"
a race way was built from a dam at the Lower Falls, the water power from which supplies the works at present in
operation, and formerly gave the place its great importance as a manufacturing center.

INDIAN OCCUPATION

The site of Fallston borough is connected with some of the most important incidents in the pioneer history,
and industrial development of Beaver County. In the period of the Indian occupation it was a spot much frequented
by the savages, and up the little stream which comes dashing down the wild glen on the west of it ran a path leading
to one of their great towns in what is now Ohio, viz., Sandusky. This path was much used by Captain Sam Brady and
the rangers from Fort McIntosh. It was somewhere near Kuskuskee, on this trail or one of its branches, that Brady
in 1780 rescued Jenny Stapes and her child, who had been taken captive by the Indians on the south side of the
Ohio. The little stream and the hill. back of the borough are both known to this day as "Brady's Run"
and "Brady's Hill." At the foot of Brady's Hill an Indian trail branched northwest, and passed by the
site of Darlington to what is now Petersburg, Ohio. Opposite the present site of Fallston was the blockhouse which
was built in the fall of 1788, when, by order of Congress of date October 2d, that year, Fort McIntosh, at what
is now Beaver, was ordered to be demolished. Lieutenant Nathan McDowell was placed in command at this post, which
was intended to protect communication up the Big Beaver and to cover the country after the removal of Fort McIntosh.'
In the spring of 1791 Brady figured again in an affair which was connected with this blockhouse and vicinity. He
and about twenty others were following the trail of some Indians, who were supposed to have committed various depredations
on the inhabitants south of the Ohio River, and, coming up the west side of the Beaver, when they had arrived at
about where Fallston now is, opposite the blockhouse, these rangers discovered a party of nine Indians, with horses,
who were engaged in trade with William Wilson, an Indian trader. The rangers immediately opened fire, killing several
of the Indians, among them being two women; the rest fled and Brady and his company crossed the creek and secured
the horses, arms, and merchandise that the Indians had purchased. This deed, by the better portion of the people
of the frontier, was denounced as an atrocious murder.

Near the west end of the present Fallston bridge was a pond, surrounded by a dense thicket, in which the Indians
often secreted themselves for the purpose of attack, where, when observed, they would be fired upon by the soldiers
in the blockhouse.

PIONEER SETTLEMENTS AND MANUFACTURING

Settlements were early made at this point. One of the first to make improvements where Fallston now stands,
was John McKee, of what is now McKeesport. On the 18th of March, 1796, he executed an article of agreement with
one Levi B. Stuart, of Moon township, Allegheny County, in which he agrees to give Stuart a part of his plantation
that lies on the west side of Big Beaver creek opposite the blockhouse and beginning at a stone on Daniel Leet's
corner on Big Beaver, then running up said creek about eighty perches to a small sugar tree on said bank, then
to run a west course to Daniel Hill's line, thence along said line to Daniel Leet's, and so along said line to
the place of beginning. This described part of said plantation, be it more or less, is to be said Stuart's for
living and clearing on his own part what the law requires:- said Levi B. Stuart binding himself, his heirs, executors
and administrators to live on, or cause some family to live on, the said plantation for the full term of five years,
and to make an improvement as the law directs.

January 26, 1798, Stuart formally assigned his rights, under the title thus bestowed, to Joseph Wells, who in turn
assigned all his rights to David Townsend, January 26, 1799, and the property was deeded by John McKee to David
Townsend, June 19, 1799. Soon after this, one hundred acres of this property came into the possession of a company
composed of David Townsend, Benj. Townsend, and Benj. Sharpless, who sold, December 13, 1802, the 1W of this tract
to Evan and John Pugh. In 1802 David Townsend started a saw mill; and in 1804 the Messrs. Pugh set up a flouring
mill, the first improvements made in Fallston, when it was yet a wilderness. The Pughs came here from Chester County.
In 1682 two brothers, James and John Ap Hugh, came from Wales with a party of their countrymen to this State, and
the name was subsequently Anglicized into Pugh.

In 1808 David Towsend erected a mill for the manufacture of linseed oil, and one for the manufacture and spinning
of cottons. He connected a store with the factory, and in 1814 was succeeded in this business by Messrs. Thomas
Thorniley and Armitage, and eventually Evan and John Pugh became members. The Thornileys came from England in 179o,
and to Beaver County in 1813. Septimus Sharpless started the first woolen mill in 1809, and was succeeded by Abel
Towsend in 1814. In 1812 James Douglass started the manufacture of carding machines. Marsh & Stone began the
manufacture of scythes in 1823, and in the year following William Blanchard engaged in the same business, running
it until 1836. In 1825 William Bichbaum and E. Clark Stockton started a paper mill, which was afterwards carried
on by Messrs. Johnson and Stockton. William Cannon was superintendent of this mill, and also of the general store
kept in connection with it.

About 1825 a cotton factory was started by John and Evan Pugh, Hall Wilson, and Thomas Thorniley. In 1826 John
Miner, M. F. Champlin, W. Porter, and B. F. Mathers began the manufacture of buckets and tubs, under patents obtained
by Amos Miner, father of John Miner, in a frame building, on the site of the present Thorniley foundry property,
Two years later they built what was afterwards known as the Darragh Machine Shop. In 1836 Silas Merrick became
a partner, and the firm name was changed to Miner & Merrick. In 1837 the new firm built the bucket factory
on the site of Blanchard's scythe factory, and afterwards built the brick factory at the head of the race, and
changed the oil mill into a tub factory. This was the chief industry of the valley for a number of years. The business
was sold to Bailey & McCandless in the spring of 1865, and was continued until 1871. The Miners came here from
Onondaga County, N. Y.; their ancestor, Thomas Miner, having emigrated to this country from England in 163o. The
Merricks were from the same county in New York, and their ancestors came from Wales in 1634. Both families first
settled in New England. The Champlins came from the same county, New York, and their ancestors from France between
1600 and 1700.

In the Darragh Machine Shop, M. and S. H. Darragh operated a machine shop and foundry until a short time ago. John
and J. W. Thorniley ran the same business for several years in the property yet standing, and later the Keystone
Driller Company and an enameled sign concern operated there.

In the year 1828 the wire and rivet mill was established by Robert Townsend, Reese C. Townsend, Robert Beer, and
John D. Baird of Pittsburg, under the style of Townsend, Baird & Co. This firm was succeeded by W. P. Townsend,
son of Robert Townsend, and his sons, C. C. and E. P., in 1866, under the firm name of W. P. Townsend & Company,
who in turn were succeeded in 1894 by C. C. and E. P. Townsend, the works being in existence here seventy three
years. The Townsends were from Chester County, and their ancestor, Richard Townsend, came from England with William
Penn in 1682.

In 1832 Joseph T. Pugh, who lived on Third Avenue, New Brighton, began the manufacture of window sash, and afterwards
the manufacture of flour barrels, in partnership with John Collins. The building erected for the sash factory was
used in later years for a handle factory by R. G. Phillips, and until a few years ago it was occupied by S. A.
Dickey & Sons. It was torn down in 1898 to give place to the building for the Valley Electric Company.

The Fallston Academy was built in 1832, and was used for school purposes and church services, being open to all
denominations. It was bought by H. M. Burns of New Brighton, in 1897, who established a lumber yard there. In 1836
M. T. and S. Kennedy began the manufacture of cabinet and wheelwright work, which was later changed into a nail
keg, and afterwards into a lead keg, factory. It is still in operation under the management of the sons of the
founders, largely increased and prosperous.

In 1835 a saw mill was put in operation by Charles Lukens and others, which was continuously run until 1864, when
it was burned. It was succeeded by a mill erected by J. F. Miner, Hiram Platt, and David Critchlow, which was continued
by this firm until 1885, and was operated after that for a few years by H. M. Bums, who leased it. It is now abandoned,
its water power being used by the Valley Electric Company. In 1835 John Pugh & Company started another linseed
oil mill, which, as stated above, was later changed into a tub factory by Miner & Merrick. About 1837 Richard
Moreland built a flouring mill at the lower end of the race, which was later overhauled and increased by James
Duncan and John Edgar & Company, who operated it a number of years, and it is now run by S. D. Kennedy &
Company.

HARRIS'S DIRECTORY

What Harris's Pittsburgh Business Directory for the year 1837 has to say about Fallston is so interesting that
we copy the notice entire, retaining the original spelling, which the reader can correct by the foregoing:

FALLSTON

This Borough is situated immediately on the Beaver river, on the Falls, about two miles from its mouth. It was
incorporated by the Legislature in 1829, and contains upwards of 1,000 inhabitants; who are principally engaged
in the various manufacturing operations, carried on by means of the immensely important water power here possessed.
The construction of the race, by an incorporated water company, enabling them to avail themselves of the water
of the Beaver to its full extent. By this water power, the following manufacturing, and other establishments, are
now in operation:

Two Saw mills, one owned by Thomas Johnston, who can cut from 700,000 to 1,000,000 feet of boards annually.
The other, by Charles Lukens & Co., who can cut upwards of 3,000.000 feet per annum.

John Pugh & Co.'s Oil Mill - with an Hydraulic press, where is manufactured between 6,000 and 8,000 gallons
of oil, per annum.

Pugh & Bacum's Sash Factory - where Sash of all sizes and descriptions is manufactured, for the eastern and
western markets.

Townsend, Beard & Co.'s Wire Manufactory - Here Wire of all sizes to the amount of sixty tons, per annum, is
manufactured. This is one of the most complete and operative establishments of the kind in the Union, from whence
the great valley of the Mississippi is supplied in this article.

In this place is one brick academy, which serves as a place of public worship, for various denominations, in which
are kept two day and one Sabbath school.

In New Brighton, with which we are about being connected by a beautiful bridge over the Beaver, Mr. and Mrs. Leech's
female academy is established, in a most charming situation, surrounded with romantic and picturesque scenery.
This institution is in its infancy, but the reputation of its principals has been long established, and it bids
fair to be extensively useful. Here is also published the Fallston and Brighton Gazette, edited and published by
John Winter, every Saturday.

This place and the surrounding neighborhood, bids fair to be extensively increased, in consequence of the immense
mineral and water advantages which it possesses.

During the period to which the above notice belongs, and even as early as 1830, Fallston was famous for the
extent and variety of its manufactures, being the chief and almost only point of mechanical and manufacturing industry
in the county, except Economy. James Patterson, in his short sketch of Beaver County history, says:

The history of manufactures in this place is very suggestive, particularly in an economical view. In 183o, and
for a short time before and after that date, wool carding for the farmers was a large business of the place. The
farmers would bring their wool here to be carded, and when done would take it home and spin it into yarn, and either
weave it at home or bring it, which was most commonly the case, to the woolen mills to be made into goods for male
and female wear. In a short time, however, they came to believe it best to sell their wool for cash, or trade in
the stores for wearing apparel. This ruined the business of wool carding, and in a great degree of the woolen factories.

Nearly all the minor industries of the early period referred to by Harris have disappeared, giving place to the
large and important works of the Townsends and Kennedys, in the borough, and the other plants back of the borough
which have been already mentioned. There is here also the power house of the Valley Electric Company. In the period
of which we have been speaking Fallston and New Brighton were closely allied in business and other relations. Nearly
all the manufacturing was done on the Fallston side, but most of the owners of the concerns lived on the opposite
side of the Beaver. The two places were formerly connected by a good covered wooden bridge, built in 1837 by Lathrop
& LeBarron, which was swept away by the flood of 1884, and has since been replaced by a fine iron structure.

RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL

As previously stated, various denominations used the hall of the Fallston Academy for church purposes, and the
religious life of the place was largely identified with that of New Brighton across the Beaver.

The fourth Episcopal church established in Beaver County was incorporated in Fallston, under the name of "St.
Peter's Church, Beaver Falls," on March 2, 1843; the incorporators named being Thomas Williams, Thomas T.
Reno, John Reno, George Garner, James H. Blinn, Benjamin Stevens, William Richardson, S. R. Adams, and William
Hurst. A large church edifice was erected, but never finally completed, and the dispersing of the congregation
by removals made the parish sink under its heavy debts until its property was sold by the sheriff, and the corporation
became defunct on November 27, 1848.

This little borough has a school building which would do credit to a much larger town, and the work of the teachers
is equally creditable.

Fallston has had in the past several newspapers, the history of which may be read in the chapter of this work devoted
to the press.

POST OFFICE

The post office at Fallston was established June 25, 1829, when Hall Wilson was appointed postmaster. His successors
have been as follows:

This office was discontinued, June 1, 1857, but was re-established on the 15th of the same month. It was discontinued
again, November 6, 1860, but soon after re-established.

POPULATION

The population of Fallston in 1843 is given in Day's Historical Collections, published in that year, at 865.
In 1890 it was 629, and by the United States Census of 1900 it was 549.

INCORPORATION

By an Act of Assembly, approved March 19, 1829, the village of Fallston was incorporated into a borough. At
the November term of the Beaver County Court, 1854, a petition signed by Joseph Thompson, burgess, John Jackson,
G. N. Taylor, James Duncan, James Beacom, Samuel Kennedy, Albin Coats, and Andrew Jackson, was presented, asking
that Fallston borough should be made subject to the provisions of the Act of April 3, 1851, relating to boroughs.
The decree, granting the prayer of the petition, was made November 30, 1854.

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